Volume 9 - CH 10

I Will Avoid the Male Lead and Make a Harem

Alphonse’s eyes opened as if he hadn’t considered it at all.

“He will receive the punishment he deserves. The punishment for claiming to be a genius painter. And the punishment for exploiting a poor little boy.”

“Genius painter……?” My paintings?”

It was an enthusiastic response.

As expected, Alphonse was more preoccupied with complimenting his paintings than with Isaac’s betrayal.

“I’ve come to see you because I like your paintings.”

The frightened boy fell down. His expression indicated that he couldn’t tell whether this was a dream or reality.

“Would you like to sign a contract with me? I will supply you with a place to live, food, and infinite paper and paints, as well as buy your paintings at a reasonable price……”

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it!”

The red-faced boy nodded fiercely.

‘This is great.’

It just so happens that there is a perfect house for a boy to stay in.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

Near the square, by the river.

Alphonse kept exclaiming as he stood in front of a little one-story house.

“Woah……”

The youngster had nothing of his own.

I requested him to pack his belongings, and he returned with only a dangling brush and palette.

In comparison to the collapsing thatched-roof home, this mansion was like a palace.

‘That person deserved to die.’

Isaac didn’t even live in that house. He probably stayed in a nice house that suited him while pretending to be an aristocracy.

“Make yourself at home. Though this is not my house.”

“Yes?”

“This house has a separate landlord.”

The boy with a flushed face ran to me after looking at the clean living room, bedroom, and kitchen.

“Can I stay here if the landlord isn’t here?”

“Yes, the landlord said he was fine with it.”

I didn’t ask, but he’d be fine with whatever I did.

“Because he’s not going to live here anymore because he’s been knighted.”

“I-is this a knight’s house?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow…… a knight’s house.”

Under the influence of Isaac, who was a wandering minstrel, the boy seemed to have a fantasy of ‘a wonderful knight defending the empire!’

He was looking at the possessions that Valhail had left behind, such as armor and swords, with interest.

“Then I’m not going to touch anything. Please convey my thanks to the house’s owner.”

“Well, if you’re so thankful……”

Alphonse seemed eager to repay the knight.

“Can you draw a picture for him?”

I took out a piece of paper the size of my palm that I had with me as a spare.

“If you draw my portrait here, the landlord will like it.”

The boy with the paper twitched oddly around his mouth.

He seemed to notice the relationship between the landlord and me.

I spilled it on purpose because the romance between a gorgeous aristocratic lady and a fantastic knight is also a favorite song lyric of a minstrel.

Alphonse’s eyes had already imagined a tragic love between me and the house’s mysterious owner.

I patted the boy on the shoulder.

“Then put your best on the picture.”

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

“Do you realize how humiliated I was earlier because of you? How dare a swindler like you to screw me?”

“Co-countess, please spare……”

“Ha, Countess?”

“Madam! Please, madam, save me!”

Isaac, confined in an underground prison, fell flat in front of Camilla.

“Fake names, fake surnames, fake titles. What the hell is real?”

“Madam, Madam. Please spare me. I’m actually…… a minstrel.”

Even standing there and just staring at him, Valhail’s momentum was so vicious.

Isaac had already experienced his strength as he fled the banquet hall and was captured by him.

“Where did all of the paintings come from? Who did it?”

“I-it wasn’t me who drew it.”

“Kill him.”

As Camilla glanced at Valhail, Isaac shook his hands.

“B-but!”

Isaac, who swallowed his saliva, rolled his head hard in order to survive.

“I could get some more paintings. The artist is like my adoptive son. If I ordered him to die, he’d kill himself.”

Camilla stood up from her seat as she pondered.

“Whatever you say should not be false.”

“Of course, yes! He’s not much different than my son.”

“I should cut off all your wrists if you don’t bring any paintings.”

“Gasp! I’ll bring it. I will undoubtedly bring it. Please spare me. I’ll tell you where my son is!”

She had to leave for the capital the next day.

Something unfortunate occurred at the banquet, but she could still continue to receive famous paintings, and she had already received Selina’s portrait.

Camilla saw no reason not to visit the capitol.

She believed that if she showed the painting to her father, Duke of Maple, he would take it to the Imperial Palace, and the Empress would undoubtedly like it.

‘It’s a painting worth that much.’

Camilla has an obsession with beautiful things.

She was told from a young age that she has a great eye for things.

Everyone in the capital will admire it if it is such a wonderful picture in her eyes.

And they’d all be curious about the girl in the painting. Everyone will want to see her in person.

‘My beautiful daughter.’

Knowing that Selina is a well-groomed lady who is prepared for marriage, the gentlemen of the capital would line up holding gold and propose to her.

Camilla stood up, her face hardened with an arrogant smile.

“Torture him and find out where his son is. Bring him here right now.”

“You don’t have to torture me! I’m just going to tell you everything!”

Isaac shouted, alternating between Valhail and Camilla.

Camilla exited the prison, winking at Valhail as she gazed down at Isaac as if he were a bug.

“Keep an eye on him.”